Investigating the impact of outsourcing children social services on the workforce: A three-year matched-control evaluation of social work practice in England

This article discusses the workforce implications of recent government policy direction in England to move some statutory social work responsibilities from the usually larger more complex organizational structure of local authorities to independent organisations. Such outsourcing of social services is not a new phenomenon in England, however, it has been gaining further pace over the last decade. This paper discusses findings from an evaluation of five social work practices (SWPs), independent or semi-independent of local government, which were established in 2009 with an intention to improve outcomes for looked after children as well as for practitioners supporting them. The policy aspirations were to develop smaller social worker-led organizations, independent of local authorities, that were envisaged to improve the morale and retention of children’s social workers, reduce bureaucracy, and facilitate professional decision making. The model hypothesized that better outcomes for children and young people would result through greater consistency and improved stability of care for children in out-of-home care and care leavers, which may be facilitated by this new model of working. Based on a three-year matched case control evaluation that took place from the onset of the SWP pilots in 2009 to 2012, we discuss the interdependence of public and private sectors in responding to a top-down policy aspiration. In relation to specific implications for practitioners, we highlight the importance of key work practices, which are not directly related to the outsourcing model, in influencing improved practitioners’ outcomes. We conclude by discussing the practical implications of the publicprivate shift in children’s service provision within the experience of SWPs, particularly in relation to their impact on the workforce.